Hauppauge woman named Suffolk 2026 Senior Citizen of the Year
Jeanne Kull-Minarik, pictured with Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, was named Suffolk County's 2026 Senior Citizen of the Year. Credit: The Office of the County Executive
Jeanne Kull-Minarik's love of teaching runs so deep, even open-heart surgery couldn’t keep her away from the classroom for long.
The Hauppauge retiree returned to her job as an elementary school principal just five weeks after undergoing heart surgery in 2014. And after a valve replacement surgery last year, she was back within six weeks in her volunteer role teaching seniors how to live healthier lives.
"I really feel that the more you do the better you are, so get yourself up and out," said Kull-Minarik, 73.
Kull-Minarik was recently recognized for her "extraordinary volunteerism" as one of more than 100 adults honored this spring by the New York State Office for the Aging. She was also named Suffolk County’s 2026 Senior Citizen of the Year by the Suffolk County Office for the Aging.
"It’s a very humbling experience," she said of the distinctions. "I don’t always think of doing something for the recognition; I just think of doing something for the value and the good that it does."
Kull-Minarik began her career in education as a teaching assistant in Hauppauge in the 1980s. She later taught special education in the North Babylon and Sayville school districts before becoming principal of Accompsett Elementary School in Smithtown for 16 years.
When she retired in 2019, Kull-Minarik began focusing on helping elderly residents across Long Island.
Today, much of her volunteer work is with the Smithtown-based nonprofit RSVP Suffolk, where she teaches eight-week classes for older adults on fall prevention, diabetes self-management, chronic disease self-management and tai chi for arthritis. The classes, titled "Living Healthy with Better Choices," are offered at local libraries and 55-and-over communities, she said.
"It brings me back to all the reasons I loved to teach in the first place," Kull-Minarik said. "I try to make it fun; I’m a pretty good storyteller."
DeniseAnn Passarelli, coordinator of RSVP Suffolk's "Living Healthy" program, said Kull-Minarik "always goes above and beyond" for the nonprofit's programs.
"I feel, because of her education background, she adds an amazing flair to our program," Passarelli said. "I am beyond blessed to have her as one of my wonderful volunteers."
Kull-Minarik’s work with RSVP Suffolk extends beyond the classroom and includes checking in weekly with up to two-dozen local senior citizens as a telephone reassurance volunteer, as well as helping place refurbished computers with veterans and low-income individuals.
She previously volunteered with the Helen Keller Services for the Blind Suffolk County, helping vision-impaired individuals with tasks ranging from shopping to opening their mail.
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
